Planning Caribbean Cruise - Need help

[tll]

I have a few questions.

First, it seems to me that I read on this board that the Western Caribbean was the best choice for sight seeing, is that true? We like to see the sights, we aren't big into laying around the pool or beach (my husband has red hair and is very fair).

My next questions is regarding ports of call, from what I can see, most western caribbean cruises go to Cozumel, George Town, Labadee, and Ocho Rios, however, I also found one that goes to Belize and Costa Maya instead of Labadee and Ocho Rios, which would be your preference, and why?

I also seem to remember reading on this board that the winter months are the best choice for crusing the caribbean, is this true? We are planning to go in January 2007.

That's it for now, I would really appreciate your help. Thanks.

 

[Ted_D]

I do not think that there is one absolute answer to your question about the best sight seeing. There are some lovely islands with lots of scenery, lovely beaches, history, and local lore is all parts of the Caribbean. And, there are as many "favorite islands" as there are crusiers. Having said that, I think it generally correct to say that --

-- the best shopping in the Eastern Caribbean at St Thomas and St Maarten
-- the best history sights are in Yucatan of Mexico with the Mayan Ruins (West)
-- the most lush, unspoiled Caribbean scenery is in Dominica and St Lucia (South) or St John
(East)
-- the beaches and water are fabulous everywhere, with a very slight edge to Antigua (South)
-- the best reef viewing excursions (diving, semi-submersible, or submarine) are in the
Caymen Islands (West)

There are other factors to consider as well. Language can be a problem on a few islands -- Martinique
stands out as tough unless you read / speak French. On most islands, English is easily understood, but
not on all of them. Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and Jamaica are beautiful, but not as safe as most parts of the Caribbean and full of very aggressive people trying to sell you things. They can make touring unpleasant.

I get the impression that this may be your first Caribbean cruise, and if that guess is correct, I assure you that you'll have a great time regardless which route you take! I recommend you go get a good book on Caribbean cruising. There are many good ones and they will contain an overview of each of the islands that tells you the sight seeing highlights, etc. It will help you decide which islands are the best for you. I would also recommend that you review the sections of the book that describe the different cruise lines. You will find that there is a fairly significant difference in the typical passenger profiles and cruise experiences on them. The level of formality, the average age of passengers, the cuisine, and the number and type of shipboard activities all vary -- not to mention the prices! So, you probnably should investigate them a little and make your cruise decision based on both the specific itinerary and the cruise line / ship that suits you best.

Finally, you asked if January is a good time to cruise. I think it's an ideal time, giving you a great break from winter. It also avoids the hurricane season, and most school aged children will be absent from the ship.

Ted

 

[tll]

Thanks, I have cruised before (Alaska and a couple short Mexican cruises). Our first cruise was on Royal Caribbean, on a very old ship (Viking Serenade), we loved it. Our second cruise was Carnival and while we enjoyed the cruise, I have no desire to do Carnival again. Our third cruise and most recent was Celebrity to Alaska, it was wonderful, however, I want to try Royal Caribbean again with a newer and nicer ship to compare it with Celebrity. We aren't complainers and while we have had unfortunate things happen when on vacation, we never let it get us down or ruin our trip. There is one person in our group of couples who likes to complain, but we just shrug it off and continue to have a good time, so I know we will have a great time no matter which ship we take.

 

[Don M]

Just guessing that you may have sailed on one of Carnival's older, smaller ships. If so, they're nothing like the newer, larger ships, such as Liberty, Glory, Destiny, etc. You might reconsider Carnival if that's the case. We've sailed RCL and Carnival and each excels at a few things but overall it's pretty much a toss-up and Carnival's usually less expensive; sometimes quite a bit less expensive. Enjoy!

 

[tll]

We might try Carnival again some time, we decided for our next cruise to book the Freedom of the Seas in January of 2007. I'm really excited about being on a nice new ship, it should be amazing.

 

[sailboat]

From one fair skinned red head to another---previous posters have pretty much hit the nail on the head regarding the western vs. the eastern caribbean. And it really is a matter of personal preference. While I enjoyed seeing the pyramids of ancient civilizations on the Yucatan Peninsula (western carib) my preference is for the eastern, especially the truly lush islands like St. Lucia. The islands of the EC have their own rich histories and you'll find colonial plantation homes, English style cathedrals, the remains of colonial era dockyards, and of course a good sprinkling of forts to clamber around in. The EC also offers (in my opinion) the best snorkeling and the prettiest waters. I always take my crushable, packable straw hat and sun block and even on those days when I really want to lounge on the beach, I escape without getting a burn. As for the choice between Costa Maya/Belize or Ocho Rios/Labadee, that too, depends on your preferences. Costa Maya has a port shopping/dining complex designed and built for the tourism trade and complete with outdoor island shows, open air bars, and clean restrooms. Belize involves tendering (for most cruise ships). This port offers a look at recently discovered ruins at the end of a long bus ride. It's hot, hot, hot here, so take water and your hat. The waters off Belize are celebrated for excellent snorkeling, so you may want to do that here. I've not been to Labadee and don't really want to go based on what I've heard about it. Ocho Rios is ok. Most tourists go to the Dunn's River Falls, which you can, with the help of a guide climb up (it's kind of like walking up a big staircase with water gushing all around). It's almost as much fun standing on the sidelines watching the guides, their necks hung about with everyone's cameras, as they lead their charges up the falls.